Full list of winners at Headies Awards 2025

Mohbad bags two win at Headies Awards 2025

The 17th edition of The Headies Awards brought stars, style, and celebration to Lagos on April 27, 2025. 

Held at the Landmark Events Centre, the ceremony showcased the best of Nigeria’s music scene, honouring artists who have shaped the sound of the past year.

Hosted by popular Nollywood actress Nancy Isime, the event was filled with high-energy performances, moving tributes, and exciting award moments. 

It was a night where talent and creativity were on full display, cementing the importance of The Headies as a key cultural moment in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Chike's Egwu, which took home two major awards — Viewers' Choice Award and Best Music Video. The late Mohbad, who was featured on Egwu, was also honoured with the Best Street-Hop Artiste award for his solo hit Ask About Me, giving fans an emotional moment of remembrance.

Superstar Rema continued his winning streak, claiming the coveted Album of the Year award for his project Heis. His impact was felt across the night, reinforcing his standing as one of Afrobeats' brightest stars.

Throughout the show, both established names and rising talents were celebrated. Odumodublvck secured the prestigious Next Rated title, while newcomer Qing Madi earned Songwriter of the Year honours. Emerging star Zerrydl was named Rookie of the Year, signalling a promising future for the next generation.

In addition to the music awards, The Headies also recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry and humanitarian causes, ensuring the night celebrated excellence both on and off the stage.

The full list of winners is as follows:

• Best Recording of the Year: Tems – Burning

• Producer of the Year: London – Ozeba

• Next Rated: Odumodublvck

• Afrobeats Album of the Year: Rema – Heis

• Songwriter of the Year: Qing Madi – Vision

• Rookie of the Year: Zerrydl

• Best Rap Single: Shallipopi feat. Odumodublvck – Cast

• Best Vocal Performance (Female): Liya – I'm Done

• Music Video of the Year: Director Pink – Egwu

• Best Street-Hop Artiste: Mohbad – Ask About Me

• Afrobeats Single of the Year: Flavour – Big Baller

• Viewers’ Choice Award: Chike feat. Mohbad – Egwu

• Digital Artiste of the Year: Davido

• Song of the Year: Asake – Lonely at the Top

• Best Vocal Performance (Male): Lojay – Billions

• Best Movie Soundtrack: A Tribe Called Judah

Special Awards:

• Special Recognition: Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Alex Okosi, Amaju Pinnick, KCee

• Humanitarian Awards: Temitola Adekunle Johnson, Mitchell Mukoro

Regional Awards:

• Best East African Artiste: Juma Jux (Tanzania)

• Best Central African Artiste: Innoss'B (DRC)

Ice Prince credits MI Abaga for shaping his rap career: “He taught me well”

Ice Prince 

Nigerian rap sensation Ice Prince has opened up about the strong influence MI Abaga had on his journey into hip-hop, revealing that the veteran rapper played a major role in shaping his craft.

Speaking during an interview with content creator Isbaeu on Curiosity Made Me Ask, Ice Prince didn’t hold back in giving MI his flowers, calling him both a mentor and a big brother. 

He reflected on the early days of his career, emphasizing that the knowledge and discipline he gained under MI’s guidance became the foundation for his lyrical abilities.

“I can rap on any beat with any rapper, and I will still stand out. I’m not going to have a wack verse on a song,” he said with confidence. 

“I am not saying other rappers cannot rap, but it cannot be said that I’m wack. I was brought up by the best, shout out to MI Abaga.”

Having spent years working closely with the Crowd Mentality rapper, Ice Prince made it clear that his growth didn’t happen overnight but was built on consistent learning and mentorship.

“I rapped with him for years. He is my big brother, and he taught me well,” he added.

Spyro opens up about career struggles after working with Davido and Mayorkun

Spyro blames Davido and Mayorkun for his career setback

Nigerian Afrobeat singer Spyro has shared a deeply personal story about how a major collaboration he believed would transform his career ended up becoming a source of disappointment.

In a recent interview with HipTV, the singer reflected on his 2018 remix of the song Funke, which featured superstar Davido and hitmaker Mayorkun. 

At the time, Spyro was convinced that the high-profile collaboration would catapult him to greater heights. However, things didn’t go as expected.

“I had a song back then, that I had Davido and Mayorkun on it. I actually thought that my life was about to change,” he said. “The song came out big, and I went back down all of a sudden.”

Despite the initial buzz surrounding the release, Spyro revealed that he soon faced unexpected setbacks.

One of the most painful moments for him was losing touch with the very artists he once worked closely with.

“I sat down and thought about it because how do I go from working with Davido, vibing with Mayorkun and all those guys, and all of a sudden, they no longer even pick your calls anymore,” he shared.

The experience took a toll on him emotionally and financially, especially with the pressure of supporting his family. 

“I would just sit down on my staircase back then and cry... but I had my parents at home that I needed to take care of, and a lot of things were just going wrong,” he added.

Music producer Sarz reveals why he can't work with Davido

 

Sarz

Nigerian super-producer Sarz, known for crafting hits for some of the biggest names in Afrobeat, recently shared why a collaboration with Davido has never happened — and might never happen.

Speaking during an interview with Dotun on Cool FM, Sarz, whose real name is Osabuohien Osaretin, revealed that their creative processes are completely different.

“Davido always likes people around him whenever he’s in the studio, and for me, that’s not how I work,” Sarz explained. 

“I like to work alone with the artist. Maybe that’s why we haven’t worked.”

The hitmaker made it clear there’s no bad blood — he respects Davido’s artistry but prefers a more intimate and focused studio setting. 

That difference in style, he suggests, is likely the reason a collaboration hasn’t materialized.

Davido faces U.S. court summons over alleged song theft and unpaid $45,000 settlement

Davido accused of song theft

Nigerian superstar Davido has found himself at the center of a legal storm in the United States after four Nigerian artists accused him of stealing their original work. 

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has ordered the singer, whose real name is David Adeleke, to respond to the allegations within 21 days.

The lawsuit was filed by Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru, who claim that Davido used material from their 2022 song Work in his 2024 release Strawberry on Ice. 

According to legal documents, the plaintiffs initially shared a demo of Work with Davido in early 2022, hoping for a potential collaboration. 

However, they allege that the demo was instead passed on to Sierra Leonean artist Emmerson, who is featured on Strawberry on Ice, and the song was allegedly sampled without their consent.

Also named in the lawsuit are Emmerson Amidu Bockarie (professionally known as Emmerson), Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records — all of whom are allegedly involved in the distribution or publishing of the disputed track.

The legal complaint details a failed attempt to resolve the matter privately. In March 2025, Davido reportedly agreed to pay $45,000 to the original creators, along with 40% of the composition royalties and 20% of the sound recording rights. 

Despite this agreement, the plaintiffs claim Davido missed the payment deadline, leading to the current legal action.

As of now, Davido has not issued any public response to the summons or the allegations.